Since Ohio deregulated in 2001, 4.8 million Ohio electricity customers have been able to shop for their electricity. Of those, over 50% have switched electric suppliers and saved an estimated $15 billion since 2011. Depending on where you live in Ohio, there are multiple retail electric suppliers vying for your business. But in the world of electricity suppliers, as in other places, one size does not fit all.
Many people are aware that Iceland has the cleanest energy in the world by far. The island-nation generates 100% of its electricity from renewables such as hydroelectric and geothermal sources, and it’s also flirting with wind power. What those same people might not realize, however, is that this results in some of the cheapest electricity in the world.
That means that customers in Houston paid an average of $5,500 more for electricity over a 14-year time span beginning in 2002, according to the group that buys electricity on behalf of municipal governments in Texas. The calculation, which uses data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, assumes monthly electricity use of 1,300 kilowatt hours.
An ILEC is a telephone company that was providing local service when the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was enacted. Examples of ILECs serving South Dakota are Golden West Telecommunications, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Telephone Authority and Beresford Municipal Telephone Company. See a complete list of ILEC companies (18 KB). Some companies, such as Qwest, Midstate Communications and Knology, can be both an ILEC and a CLEC (see below) in different service areas.
As you shop, you’ll see the rates advertised in terms of kilowatts per hour (kWh) — the energy used to power 1,000 watts for one hour. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average price per kWh for electricity in Pennsylvania is 14.52 cents, while the Public Utility Commission's “price to compare” currently hovers around 8.0 cents. Clearly, there’s a lot of price variety out there. And, given the hundreds of providers doing business in Pennsylvania, exploring electricity options can be pretty toilsome.
That means that customers in Houston paid an average of $5,500 more for electricity over a 14-year time span beginning in 2002, according to the group that buys electricity on behalf of municipal governments in Texas. The calculation, which uses data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, assumes monthly electricity use of 1,300 kilowatt hours.
Usually, fixed-rate renewable-energy plans are among the most expensive options. But in our research, we found Constellation’s green plan rates were comparable to its non-green versions. For example, out of two otherwise identical fixed-rate, 12-month plans from Constellation — “12 Month Fixed Rate 100% Green” and “12 Month Fixed Rate” — it’s the renewable version that currently costs less.

Variable rate plans are always month-to-month, save for three-month intro specials in which your rate stays the same for those early months. Fixed rate plans, on the other hand, are available for periods ranging from six to 36 months. The contract lengths, and how that length influences the price per kWh rate, varies enormously from company to company. Some companies offer lower rates when you enroll for longer periods. Others raise the rate slightly. The competing rationale: You will be paying them for longer so you get a break, or you have that price locked in when energy rates inevitably rise. One rule of thumb — the longer the contract, the higher the cancellation fee.

Know that Green Mountain’s cheapest advertised plans are all variable rate plans. “Pollution Free,” “Pollution Free Try 3,” or “SolarSPARC 10 Try 3” all advertise a great initial rate — a full cent below Pennsylvania’s 8.49 cent “price to compare” — but its variable rates means the company can raise them at any time. The two “Try 3” plans just lock in the low introductory rate for three months instead of one. The flipside of fixed rate: Should prices fall, you’ll be locked into a contract with a constant, elevated rate for two more months.

Green Mountain has been behind massive green power projects like supplying the Empire State Building with renewably-offset power, and its nonprofit organization Sun Club provides grants for environmental projects, like Urban REAP (Urban Renewable Energy and Agriculture Project), an innovative community greenhouse that uses solar power, aquaponics, and composting.

Even though customers in deregulated Texas markets routinely pay more for electricity, there is a bright spot. The gap between the average price paid for electricity between deregulated and regulated market has shrunk to 8.8 percent. In 2006, customers in deregulated cities were paying nearly 47 percent more for electricity than their counterparts in regulated cities.
On the one hand, long-term, fixed-rate (contract) plans offer stability in pricing. If energy supply costs suddenly go up in your area, you won’t be left paying more than what you bargained for. You’ll have peace-of-mind. If you want to switch out of your contract before it ends with a lower cost plan, you’ll likely face a cancellation fee (early termination fee).
Stafford electricity rates fluctuate with the price of energy in the market. That's because Stafford electricity providers purchase electricity wholesale and break it up into plans for consumers. If the price of wholesale electricity goes up, rates are likely to follow. That's why it's so important to lock down a great deal right away. If you choose to wait, Stafford electricity rates could rise and you'll have missed out.
No worries. It’s always a good idea to shop for a new electricity plan when you are moving to see if there is a better deal on electricity available. But, if you are happy with your current electric rate, most electricity providers will gladly keep you as a customer and continue service under your current contract at your new apartment or house as long as you move within the same utility delivery area. Don’t worry about early termination fees. If you are moving, your electricity provider cannot charge you an early termination fee if you provide a valid proof of a change of address thanks to customer protection rules established by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

If you spend most of your leisure time out of the house, none of these plans will do much for your bottom line. But if home is your favorite place to be, you could profit. Based on the estimates of energy companies, most people use about 31% of their total energy on the weekends. If you go through the average 1,000 kWh per month, you'll get about 310 kWh for free. Using data compiled by the EIA, we estimated 30% of average total energy is also used during evenings (including weekend evenings), working out to about 300 free kWh.

Prior to electricity deregulation in select areas of the United States, the electricity that powered homes and businesses came from the utility company and customers could not compare electricity providers. With electricity deregulation continuing to expand and electricity providers in the mix, residents and businesses should be sure to understand where their electricity comes from, how it’s delivered, and how the cost is divided.
Customers can find deals in competitive electricity markets if they take the time and effort to look at web sites such as powertochoose.org, the official comparison shopping site of the Public Utility Commission. The study cited a PUC survey of retail electricity offerings in Houston that showed nine deals in March that were lower than the regulated price of electricity in San Antonio.